"I recently had a cat with a lung tumour and the owner smoked quite a lot, so we did discuss that and whether, in that case, it may have potentially been associated with the cause for that cat," he said.

The SPCA says the nicotine in cigarettes can have a deadly impact on all animals.

"It's every living being, so fish, birds, parrots… anything that is alive is going to get impacted from the smoke," said SPCA CEO Andrea Midgen.

She says dogs with longer noses are more vulnerable to nasal cancers, whereas dogs with shorter noses have a greater chance of getting lymphoma or lung cancer.

And it's even worse for cats - they're four times more likely than dogs to develop cancer.

"Cats, particularly, can get the carcinogens in their fur, and you know how they like themselves and clean themselves," said Ms Midgen. "They're taking that all inside."

Although the number of pets that die from second-hand smoke is unknown, about 500 people die each year in New Zealand from smoking or second-hand exposure.

More motivation for smokers, particularly those who are animal lovers, to stub the habit out.